The Property
The 3 Rivers Ranch is a diverse and well-located, multi-use ranch. It is situated in Foard County, west of the farming and ranching community of Crowell, Texas.
Access to the property is provided by paved FM 654, which bisects the ranch, dividing it into two tracts: one containing approximately 1,500 acres and the other containing roughly 4,500 acres.
The ranch's elevations vary from around 1,500' to 1,700'. The annual rainfall for this area averages 24", and temperatures range from an average minimum of 28 掳 F in January to a maximum of 98 掳 F in July. The growing season lasts an average of 219 days.
The ranch was assembled in several purchases over the years. There are two ranch headquarters on the property, each offering livable housing and livestock working pens.
The soils on the property are generally loamy, and the ranch has a good turf of palatable native grasses. The ranch has not been grazed by livestock in several years, so it often has a dense appearance. Mesquite and juniper are the primary brush cover throughout the more upland portions of the property, with many varieties of hardwoods found throughout the numerous creek bottoms and drainages. Overall, the ranch is considered to be very healthy, with an abundance of varied grasses and forbs.
Two named creeks flow through the ranch as do numerous small unnamed seasonal creeks and drainages. Good Creek flows through the western portion of the ranch for approximately three miles and Blue Hole Creek winds through the eastern portion of the ranch for almost 5.5 miles.
Across the property, four areas have been grubbed of invasive brush. These areas may have been farmed at one time, as it is common in this area to grow wheat, oats, grain sorghum, milo, etc. Many producers plant these crops to graze or to bale for hay.
Location
The 3 Rivers Ranch is located about 13 miles west of Crowell, and 23 miles east of Paducah. This region is known for large ranch operations such as the 6666, the Waggoner, and Triangle Ranch.
Crowell serves as the county seat of Foard County, and the population was 769 at the 2020 census. The community was organized in 1891 and was named for the owner of the townsite, George T. Crowell.
Approximate Travel Time:
Abilene 鈥� 2 Hours
Amarillo 鈥� 2.75 Hours
El Paso 鈥� 7.5 Hours
Fort Worth 鈥� 3 Hours
Lubbock 鈥� 2.5 Hours
San Angelo 鈥� 3.5 Hours
Wichita Falls 鈥� 1.25 Hours
Water Features
The ranch is considered well-watered for livestock and wildlife. It has several large ponds, all fed by runoff, and many shallow drainages that hold water on a seasonal basis. Underground water is challenging to find in this region, so water wells are scarce.
Good Creek and Blue Hole Creek are the two main creeks that flow through the ranch. In total, these two creeks traverse the ranch for a total of about 8.5 miles.
Good Creek heads northwest of the ranch, approximately 10 miles on the Triangle Ranch. This creek runs southeast for 22 miles to its mouth on the North Fork of the Wichita River. Blue Hole Creek rises about 2 miles north of HWY 70 in northwestern Foard County and runs south for fifteen miles to its mouth on Good Creek, fourteen miles west of Crowell. This creek originates from several large waterholes known as Blue Hole Springs. Before irrigation significantly reduced their flow around the late 1970s, these springs produced plentiful water frequented by Indians, hunters and early settlers.
These two creeks are now considered ephemeral and will occasionally flow in abundance. Western soapberry, Chinaberry, varieties of elm, hackberry and other hardwoods grow along the banks of these creeks, creating exceptional habitat for wildlife and shade for livestock in the hot summer months. A few springs on the ranch flow seasonally into the creeks and various drainages.
Rural water was piped to the ranch from Paducah. This waterline services the two ranch headquarters and the many structures at the Astronomy Campus at 3 Rivers Ranch.
Wildlife and Recreation
This region has an abundance of wildlife, and the 3 Rivers Ranch offers exceptional habitat for mammals, migratory and upland bird species, reptiles and insects.
Whitetail deer, bobwhite and blue quail, Rio Grande Turkey, wild boar and feral hogs, coyotes, raccoons and a multitude of other animals thrive in this area. The Texas Big Game Awards shows 68 entries for trophy deer in Foard County for native wild whitetail and mule deer.
Several of the larger ponds are stocked with fish, and miles of beautiful trails make 3 Rivers Ranch a true four-season recreation area.
The Astronomy Campus at 3 Rivers Ranch features most of the facilities on the property, including:
- A roll-off observatory that houses a 15-foot reflecting telescope.
- Another large observatory that houses a 15-inch refractor used for public events.
- Outdoor pavilion, patio and camping areas, and indoor classroom and flexible space.
- Bunkhouses and family cabins with private bathrooms and kitchenettes.
- RV spaces and hookups, along with a shower and restroom facility.
In addition to the facilities, there is a vast amount of grazing land and undeveloped space that can be used for a variety of purposes.
Find out more about the astronomy equipment here.